How To Stay Away From Getting The Flu

Hi, my name in Angelique and new here. I am 41, a mother of two teenagers and have been diagnosed with ITP about two months ago with platelet count at 1. I started with 60mg and am currently on 30mg Prednisone and slowly tapering off every two weeks. I am aware that while on high dose steroid, we are more prone to infections and this is really my main concern as my husband gets really nervous that if I fall sick my platelet level will crash and I'll end up in hospiital again. My count has been about 170 to 200 since started on Prednisone. Lasr week, my son had a fever that lasted almost a week and my husband was so worried about me catching his bug and separated both of us. I found that very upsetting not being around to care for him when he was sick and it made copimg with the side effects of the steroids even worse. Can anyone please tell me how you cope and handle situation like this. We are very cautious about going anywhere crowded as a lot of people seem to be coughing everywhere we go. Had a bloodtest again this morning and hope that the platelet level stay high enough to cut the Pred. I have found this site very helpful with a lot of information and a lot of very postive thiinking and encouraging people on board. Keep up the good work.

Hi angel,
Welcome to the group, not good you had to be here but it is a great place to learn and get support. I don't think you can stop yourself from getting the flu, the thing is you will probably come in contact with a lot of things that you can catch. How will this effect you count? it is really hard to say some it effects, some not. I have had three major surgery since having ITP and for a few weeks after the surgery my counts where in the 200's and a normal good count for me is around 100 to 140, the reason for this I don't know.

I was on prednisone for ten months, mostly between 40 and 75 mg and I work in the public, coming in contact with 100's of people everyday and I didn't catch a thing but I don't seem to catch flu's very often anyway.
I can understand why your husband is cautious and mine husband is always concerned as well, but as time has gone on he has learned to relax a little and hopefully this will happen to you as well.

I really feel for the families of people with ITP it must be hard for them. I hope ypur counts today are good and you can get of the steroids soon.

Hi Milly,

Thank you so much for replying, it makes me feel better. Will be seeing the Hemo shortly to follow up with the bloodtest results.

Hi Angelique. I don't think there is much you can do to avoid getting sick unless you hide yourself in a room. You can pick up germs on shopping carts, in the movie theatre, at work, etc. Just use caution and wash your hands often. I had three kids while on high doses of Prednisone and while using Rituxan and never once got sick from any of them. You have other parts of your immune system that are very strong and working just fine.

During times when I was sick, my counts usually held up okay and if they didn't, I just dealt with things as they came.

I'm on a strong immunosuppressant now (not for ITP) and cringe everytime someone around me coughs or sneezes. I have not gotten sick though (knock on wood) and realize that I can't just stop my life because of the risk.

Good luck to you - your counts are great!